Remote control for door latches



May 27, 1930. D GRUND ET AL 1 ,760,49l REMOTE CONTROL FOR DOOR LATCHES Filed Aug. 23. 1929 glwventou Patented May 27.1930

UNITED STATES FLETCHER D.GRU1 TD, OF WESTON, AND HOL IPA-TENTQoF IC nan w. nrerrriurnaor Torin-no, orrro, AS-

SIG-NORS TO THE AMERICAN SVTISS COMPANY, OF TOLEDQDHIO, CQRIPO RATION OF OHIO REMOTE CONTROL non noon narcnns Application filed August 23, 1929. Serial No. 388,003:

This invention relates to vehicle door latches, but more particularly to control means for door latches of the remote control type in which the operating mechanism on the inside of the door is spaced a substantial distance from the latch unit.

An object of this invention is to provide an efficient control member which in its normal latchboltretracting operation can be moved throughout its range with substantial ly no resistance, but when moved in a non-.

bolt-retracting direction encounters resistance until a predetermined point is reached at which the control member is held in its adjusted position, a slightly greater-force being required to move the member from this position. Thisarrangement is particularly useful in connection with a latch unit such as shown and described in the co-pending ap plication of Fletcher D. Grund, Serial No. 388,004, filed August 23, 1929, in which the outside bolt-retracting handle is rendered in-' operative by a reverse movement of the inside operating handle.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is a side elevation of the control unit. a

The illustratedembodiment of the invention comprises a control unit for the inside of the door which is operable to retract a latch bolt mounted in spaced relation thereto.

r The unit consists of a mounting plate 1 to which a bearing plate 2 is secured in spaced relation thereto. Disposed intermediate the plates 1 and 2 is a control lever 8 havingthe usual shaft 4- on which an operating handle (not shown) is connected. Pivotedto the outer end of the lever 3'is a strap 5 extending to the latch bolt and serving to retract the bolt when the lever 3 is moved in a counterclockwise direction.

Formed on the edge of the lever 3 is a uniformly curved surface 6 which terminates at one end in a raised portion'l. Extending from the raised portion 7 in the opposite direction is an inclined edge surface 8 which terminates at its opposite end in a notch 9.

Extending through the hearing plate 2 and engaging the outer side thereof is a leaf spring 10 which is looped and has a bent-in portion 11 normally engaging the uniformly curved surface 6 adjacent the raised portion 7. In the normal bolt-retracting operation of the control member the latter is moved in a counter-clockwise direction so thatthe uniformly curved surface 6 is moved relative to the spring 10 and during such movement the spring offers practically. no resistance to this movement throughout the entire range. When it is desired to move the control lever in a reverse direction, such as for dogging the roll-back of the latch unit, the control lever 3 is moved in a clockwise direction, as shown in the drawing, whereupon the raised portion 7 is forced past the end 11 of the appreciable resistance is afforded by the 1 spring to; the movement of the control lever.

The above described construction is of importance in that a spring is provided which constantly bears against the control member, but in the. normal bolt-retracting movement offers substantially no resistance to its movement, but is efl'ectivefor retaining the member in the desired dogging position when the required movement in non-boltretracting direction is effected to move the dog todogging position after a manner well known in the trade.

Changes in details of construction and. arrangement may be efleotedwithout departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claim. 7

What isclaimed is:

In a door latch, a control lever, means pivthe normal operating range for the lever movement, a raised edge Portion on said lever forming a terminus or said uniformly curved surface, a notch in the edge of said lever on the opposite side of said raised por- 5 tion, a spring having a portion normally bearin againstsaid uniiormly curved surface aj jacent saidraised portion, and means to anchor an end portion of said spring.

'In testimony whereof we have hereunto .our names :to this specification.

FLETCHER D. GRUND. HOLDEN W. RIGHTMYER. 

